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CityJet


Taken at Manchester in October 2009, the Fokker 50 displays the new corporate identity. (Photo: collection Skystef)

              


 

Base: Antwerp
IATA: WX
ICAO: BCY
Fleet: 19x Fokker F50 history (OO-VLC, OO-VLE, OO-VLF, OO-VLG, OO-VLI, OO-VLJ, OO-VLK, OO-VLL, OO-VLM, OO-VLN, OO-VLP, OO-VLQ, OO-VLR, OO-VLS, OO-VLT, OO-VLV, OO-VLX, OO-VLY, OO-VLZ) + leases 1x from Fokker (PH-DMO), 1x from Newair (OY-EBD), 2x from Denim Air (PH-FZG, PH-LMT), 1x BAe146-300 from Flightline during 2007-2008 (G-BPNT).
History: Vlaamse Luchttransportmaatschappij (VLM) was formed on February 21 1992 by Freddy Van Gaever, initially to boost traffic on Belgian regional airports. Operations were started on May 1 1993 with a charter flight to Belfast, followed by a scheduled service on May 15 1993 linking Antwerp with London City. Throughout the years this English STOLport became VLM's main operational center with links from/to Antwerp (1993-, and in cooperation with Sabena 1997-2001), Rotterdam (1994-), Mönchengladbach (1996-2003), Luxemburg (1998-), Brussels (2001-2009), Manchester (2002-2008), Liverpool (2004-2007), Amsterdam (2005-), Jersey (2004-) & Isle of Man (2005-2009). But scheduled services were also expanded from its home base with links to Nice (Summer of 1996), Munich (in cooperation with Lufthansa 1997-1998), Geneva (in cooperation with Sabena 1999-2001, ended in 2002), Manchester (2002-2003) and summer charters to Jersey & Guernsey (1999). Between January-November 2005 a scheduled link between Brussels and Southampton was undertaken. VLM undertakes also various intra European ad hoc charter work. On April 17 2007, VLM entered the jet age by leasing a Bae146. Wearing their full colors, it was used between Rotterdam and London City. Not very successful, it ended on February 28 2008. On December 24 2007, it was announced that VLM was fully acquired by the group Air France - KLM, main interest were VLM's slots at London City airport. In order to become part of this group, VLM had to sell 7 slots at London City. However due to the high fuel prices several airlines sold their slots at LCY, making VLM slots not very attractive to find a buyer. In November 2008 it was decided to give these slots for free to British company "Eastern Airways", so integration plans could go ahead. On May 28 2009, it was announced that during 2010 the trademark "VLM" will disappear in favor of "CityJet" and this indeed materialized on January 11 2010. It was sold to Intro Aviation during May 2014 for reorganisation and on October 27 of the same year, it was re-sold to the managment of VLM Airlines, thus again rebranded to its original name VLM.

 

Belgian Airlines